It's time to wax poetic, my friends. On the table today, we've got the lively Laura Siegemund going head-to-head against the mighty Xiyu Wang in the Thailand Open. Now, Laura is an unseeded charmer but, and that's a big but, there's a noticeable gap between her recent performances and Wang's – it's like comparing a pebble to a boulder.
Wang, on the other hand, seeded 5th no less, has been ploughing through opponents like a hot knife through butter. Every now and then, there's a hiccup, sure, but isn’t it the speed bumps that make the ride exciting?
Siegemund's recent track record is a touch dampening, to say the least. Some days, she's as fierce as a lioness, and then we've got those moments where she can't seem to catch a ball even if it were drenched in treacle and stuck to her racquet. But don't lose heart; she's known to spike now and then, so not all hope is over a cliff.
But the numbers talk, and they speak volumes in favor of Xiyu. It’s not marriage, but this courtship with the tournament seems to be a match made in heaven for Wang. Even if Siegemund brings out her A-game, Xiyu is no pushover, she's a mountain Laura would have to climb, and that's just way too much sweat for one day.
So, as they gaze across the net, odds favor a quick tango instead of a marathon waltz. Let's hope Laura packed a sturdy pair of shoes because it's going to be one hell of a dance-off.
Albert's Prediction: Wang in straight sets.